Maelle Ba is the senior communications manager at Speak Up Africa and co-chair of the Advocacy Resource Organisation and Strategic Communications Manager at the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. In this exclusive interview with NKECHI ISAAC, she emphasises the importance of unity in the fight against malaria and the need for Africa to put up a unified front against one of the continent’s most daunting challenges.
How does your experience with advocacy correlate to what you are currently doing to kick malaria out of Africa?
I have been working with Speak Up Africa for more than 11 years, and because we focus on different issue areas, I’m particularly happy to dedicate more effort to the fight against malaria. This disease deeply affects Africa—it’s my continent—and I want to ensure that no child, pregnant woman or adult dies from a preventable and treatable disease.
We have made tremendous progress in the fight against malaria over the past decades, but now, progress is stagnating. Given the challenges we face in 2025 – including environmental crises, competing funding needs, and shifting global priorities – it’s critical that we pool our resources, expertise, and efforts to push harder. We must equip communities, citizens and governments with the necessary tools and support to intensify the fight.
In 2014, Speak Up Africa launched the Zero Malaria Campaign in collaboration with PATH and the National Malaria Control Programme. By 2018, this initiative was adopted by the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and the African Union. Our focus has always been on fostering a spirit of togetherness, ensuring that we share lessons learned and celebrate successes across the continent. For example, Cape Verde eliminated malaria and was certified by the WHO in January 2024. As advocates and communication experts, we are now working on a documentary with a major media organisation to showcase Cape Verde’s achievement.
You keep emphasising that 2025 is a crucial year in the fight against malaria. Why is that?
2025 is significant because it marks the Global Fund Replenishment Year. The Global Fund is the largest platform for malaria coordination and programming and securing adequate funding is crucial. We cannot implement activities, conduct research, or develop new tools to fight malaria without financial support.
Additionally, multiple external factors are compounding the problem. Climate change is a malaria multiplier, increasing transmission rates. Drug resistance is also becoming a growing concern. These factors are creating new challenges, making it even more urgent to sustain and increase investments in malaria programmes.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are set to conclude in five years, yet we are far from meeting our malaria targets. This raises an important question: What are we trying to achieve next? Africa has its Agenda 2063, and we need to align our strategies with it. Instead of duplicating efforts, we must ensure that resources are directed to the areas that need them most. Malaria is often treated as a fact of life, but it is not—it is a preventable and treatable disease, and people are still dying. That is unacceptable.
In your opinion, what can African leaders do to support efforts to end malaria?
We are currently in Rwanda, a country that serves as an excellent example of how leadership can drive progress. African leaders need to recognise that governance is interconnected – just as malaria is linked to broader socio-economic and environmental issues.
For example, malaria primarily affects pregnant women and young children, so it is not just a health issue; it is also a gender and family issue. Ministries of gender, family, health and sanitation must collaborate to accelerate efforts. We need an integrated approach rather than a vertical, isolated one.
More broadly, governments must prioritize investments in education, health, and youth empowerment. Rwanda’s leadership understands that national success depends on investing in these key areas. The country has prioritized education, women’s empowerment, and healthcare, creating an environment where young people can innovate and contribute their ideas. Other African leaders must adopt similar approaches, ensuring that young, creative minds can help fight diseases like malaria through education, technology, and policy innovation.
Young people make up 77 per cent of Africa’s population and are often the most affected by diseases and migration. Beyond government efforts, what role can they play in fighting malaria?
Young people have creativity, energy and fresh ideas, which are essential in driving change. In Rwanda, for example, we have seen how innovative thinking can lead to groundbreaking progress in health and education. Young people must be encouraged to experiment with new approaches, pilot new programmes and scale up successful solutions.
Often, we continue doing things simply because they have always been done that way, without questioning their effectiveness. Instead, we need to think outside the box. It’s time for homegrown solutions, tailored to our unique contexts, rather than adopting external ideas that may not be the best fit for our communities.
Additionally, we need to make malaria a priority for young people. Advocacy should not only be confined to high-level policy discussions – most young people are not in these rooms. We need to meet them where they are and involve them in a way that resonates with them. That’s why the Zero Malaria Campaign places strong emphasis on youth engagement.
Young people also need to recognise the power of their voices. They can influence change through social media, community engagement, entrepreneurship, and innovation. If we can get more young people to own this fight, malaria elimination will no longer be a distant goal – it will become a movement.
What message do you have for young Africans and decision-makers?
Everyone has a role to play. Whether you are a policymaker, scientist, teacher, journalist, or student, you have the ability to contribute to this fight. Malaria affects all aspects of life – health, education, economic growth, and national development – so we cannot afford to ignore it.
For young people: You are Africa’s majority. Your voice matters. Your ideas matter. Take ownership of this fight.
For leaders: Invest in malaria elimination as a priority. Integrate health initiatives across multiple sectors. Create an enabling environment for young innovators.
